Pisac (Cusco, Ollataytambo, Calca, Lares Hot Springs): 18/07 - 24/07

Sunday lived up to its reputation. A lazy day of coffee and tradicional festivities, I was accompanied in my inaction by Amalaa, Susanna and Swedish Theo who was visiting Pisac for its most celebrated weekend of the year. Theo had recently completed a course of free-diving in Koh Tao, Thailand, where he had successfully held his breath underwater for 4 1/2 minutes and dove without scuba-gear to 37m!!

A long, colourful procession of gaily dressed dancing characters and locals trailed from the festivities of the main square to the church al frente (opposite) Gringo Estate. This was the culmination of four days of celebrations of the Virgin Carmen for the people of Pisac , which manifested in drinking, dancing, loud tunes and much eating of food.

On Monday I visited Cusco and Amalaa to get supplies for my upcoming trek, then on Tuesday I arranged to meet Susanna in Calca (just down the valley) to begin the 50km/3hr/less than 20km/hr bus journey riding the edge of the dirt to the snowline of the Calca Valley. But before those white knuckles I took the day to visit super-touristy Ollataytambo, with ruins built into the side of steep mountains in front of a backdrop of nevados (snowy peaks). Spectacular and scenic but definitely not my preferred town of the area. The bus we were taking was to Lares and its so-named valley, but the scheduled 3pm departure was delayed until 530pm. As such we arrived in the small town latish, found food and accomodation and hit the hay.

The next morning we breakfasted on my home-made coffee and my home-made balls of fury. Over the course of the day we consumed 9 between us and slowly ascended to another plain. We went to the delicious and nutritious hot springs to soak up the minerals and sun. An awesome setting, beautiful day and a variety of temperatures to enjoy the rich dark waters in. I filled up my bottle with slightly effevescent and definitely mineralised water. A great day. On the afternoon colectivo we got to see what we hadn`t on the way there - a deep elevated valley peppered with the same highland granite agriculture as from the lakes near Pisac. All around were serrated and snow-dusted ridgelines and towering well above was (I think) the striking Salkantay mountains and glaciers. Very beautiful. The road soon turned to roadworks... country Peru-style. The system was to completely close the road for an unknown time period until 6pm, then allow all hell to break loose. Banked up vehicles, mostly large, just drove towards each other on a dangerous dirt road with about a 50% capacity to allow 2 vehicles side by side. As such logic was difficult to locate this evening, but we eventually made it back to Calca where Susanna transferred back to Cusco and I home, where a pot-luck dinner was enjoyed by all to celebrate the return of Fiorela and Mel from vacationes in Lima.

Thursday was time to say goodbye to Maggie, who was off to Lima to pick up her visiting parents and take them touring down south. Thanks for everything Maggie, great to stay with you and best luck in Pisac! x () Then another journey to Cusco and the market for trekking supplies and a great dinner with Susanna and Amalaa which claimed to be Indian but was quite different... still delicious in a snazzy setting too. Thanks Susanna!

On Friday I commenced the cooking on my trekking food and found out the person with whom we'd organised to do do-it-yourself ayahuasca ceremony with was not keen to serve the medicine, but I got some off him anyway to do-it-myself. My friends who were going to join me bailed so it was a solo mission! So that night I set up my little altar in front of the fireplace with meaningful stuff, water and vomit bucket. I had completely planned a night of recorded music from my Ipod and at 12am I kicked off with prayers and ceremony. It was an interesting experience - my friend had said the medicine was "up and down; I knew what he had meant. It definitely wasn't super-strong, and I topped up a few hours in. I had a great time singing along to Bon Iver, Baka Beyond and Low songs while stretching out and going to the toilet! The fire I'd planned was just not happening and at one point the music went completely twisted for a few seconds, but then all was well. So eventually I just fell asleep at around an hour short of my goal of seeing the sun up.

The next morning I drizzled a little medicine into my juice and kicked back into kitchen action complete with a tonne of caffeine in my system and 'The Mule' cranked on the stereo. It was an extremely busy day of cooking, cleaning and organising enhanced by chocolate/San Pedro balls and visits from local folk. I had asked people around for roast veges and salad and farewells from after lunch/3pm... no one showed up until 630pm!! By that time I was running on adrenaline and caffeine alone but still managed to hold a nice space for Sandra, Brian, Astor, Julian, Michael, Christopher, Zoe, Anna, Fernando, Paul and Amelia as we discussed chocolate balls, long treks and trekking food, Anna's delicious banana bread and the rich, rich chocolate cake brought by Sandra and Brian. Thanks for coming guys and farewell!

Sunday dawned better than Saturday due to some overnight sleep but was again a mad cleaning/cooking/packing adventure, this time fueled by just coffee, chocolate and sugar. I eventually readied myself after visits and help from Brian, Amalaa and Susanna, the latter two with whom I returned to Cusco with, after saying goodbye to Gringo Estate and its residents. As we wound our way up out of town I farewelled Pisac and all there with a tear in my mind´s eye, and upon checking in to our hostel felt very tired and relieved to be through that stage of my journey. But I also felt very contented in a way I haven´t felt before. I felt like in staying there I had changed myself considerably and connected with an amazing community and energy and experienced joy and ecstasy in a completely new way with the ayahuasca ceremonies. I felt like my life was very complete.

Pisac (Cusco, High Qochas of Pampallacta, Paro Paro, Quello Quello, Qoya): 11/07 - 17/07

Michael hosted a ceremony of healing crystal bowls (similar to Tibetan sonic bowls, but much larger and heavier of translucent crystal) which were brought by Cynthia and her sister Sabrina on the Sunday. Nice :) Later that day I, along with a bunch of Spain supporters, converged on Ulrike`s for carrot cake and The finaL. I barracked for Holanda, met with Brian from the States and Limeña Sandra from up the road and also with Amalaa visiting the Sunday markets. Every time I have watched any games Ive been convinced of the bias of the referees. No comment on the red card or the offside goal.

Meals made of donated food always taste nicer I reckon, especially the soup I made from pumpkins of the house of Fernando. That night I hung out with him, Fred, Rafael, Isabel, Illari and Paul to celebrate the despedida (farewell) of Guillermo (returning to Lima to study the culinary arts) and eating yummy pasta with fresh tomato sauce. Later I djembed along with their stoner-rock band, sometimes I was even in time¡!

So to Monday and Cusco, where I met Eric from the States and conversed about a variety of unconventional realities at Jacks before visiting his house where he`d set up an altar to several medicinal plants and practised the art of power smoothies. The San pedro market was my day`s goal, and there, after meeting up with Amalaa again, we purchased supplies intended for chocolate/San Pedro cactus energy balls and drank lushious juice. While Perùsing the vegetables we came across a large potato in a Northcote hat. Upon further inspection it actually turned out to be a potato-nana. She was tiny and crossed-legged perched on the table; wrapped in what seemed a potato sack and with her weathered brown face could easily have been picked up for 1 sol a kg.

Later I checked into the hostel where Amalaa was staying, had dinner and, at funky restobar `The Circus`, attended the showing of `Crude`. This is a recent documentary about the class-action lawsuit being brought by a group of Ecuadorian indigenous folks against Chevron, one of the world`s biggest petroleum companies. I`d read about the oil-ploitation situation in the Ecuadorian Amazon in Joe Kane`s great book `Savages` but it was interesting to see this further chapter to the story and the determination showed by the local indigenous lawyer leading the suit. The case has drawn high-profile celebrities and I feel to its detriment to filmakers focussed on this side of the situation a little too much - however its great to get the consciousness out into the mainer stream.

The next morning Amalaa and I caught up with Lulue at Jacks before I returned to Gringo Estate and Maggie and I received a visit from American Sarah. The next morning she and I discovered a mutual interest in fine electronica and experimental tunes and we exhanged `check this out` lists and grooved to some pfhat beatz. I spent the morning assembling the following:

TRISTAN`S CHOCOLATE SALTY BALLS `suck on èm`

400g Solid cacao (cocoa)

2 x 400g can Soy Vida (evaporated soy milk)

1/2 kg raw honey

100g coca powder

50g coca/maca/carob powder

2 tsp sea salt

5 tbs ground coffee

250g maca flour

300g shredded coconut

San Pedro cactus powder to taste and explore(I added about 150g)

Grate cacao. On lowest heat in a large non-stick saucepan, slowly melt cacao with soya milk and salt. Then stir in the San Pedro with love and intenciones. Then stir in the coffee. Then the honey, bit at a time. Then the powder/flour, bit at a time. Once thoroughyl stirred through you should have a large ball of black goo that doesnt stick to the fingers too much. Lay out the coconut onto a large pizza tray or similar. Spoon the mixture teaspoon at a time onto the cocnut and then roll them to lightly encrust. Should make about 100 balls, so adjust your San Pedro/active ingredient amount to suit this number. Buen viaje¡¡

Their intended use was for adding power with an edge to trekking, but that night I hung out with some of my neghbours who were on their own San Pedro journey and road-tested the mix, eating four. Balls¡¡ Those things are powerful! Well, predictably I was up until 3am and on a totally different trip to the others, but the ride was smooth and beautiful.

The next day I met Brian early to find the colectivo to the high town of Sacocha, from where we trekked up to Pampallacta, smelling Blue Gum resin and chatting about lifey stuff like staying strong in the face of surrounding unconsciousness. In the town we ate two salty balls each and began the hike to the Qochas, lakes located high in the hills above Pisac where campesinos farm on sometimes incredibly steep slopes and live in seclusion in the spectacular valleys. Ruins dotted our route to the first pass at 4250m from where we viewed the huge Azulqocha, a dam filling a deep valley surrounded by jagged but mostly vegetated mountains. By continuing we arrived at a smaller but natural qocha in its own dell amongst the highest peaks. This was amazingly beautiful, and perfect for a summer camping and swimming escape.

The continuance brought us around the mountainside, past shepherds and their llamas, alpacas, horses, sheep and cows and up to another pass. There we soaked up the lost world in the valley below us. Listless clouds swirled around peaks reminiscent of Torres del Paine while probably 1000m below a few families with tiny mudbrick dwellings farmed in the ancient way of rock-wall agriculture. The wet ground saturated (we assumed by natural springs) reflected the afternoon sun and fed a fast flowing creek to the enormous Kinsaqocha. A large rock outcrop of a hill in the centre of the valley with complete with rustic constructions reminded me of the setting for Edoras in the Lord of the Rings films. Just breathtaking.

The map pointed to the other side of the lake but we decided to brave the steep paths on our side - after all there was a lot of cultivation there. Throughout the day we had been discussing potential ways to make money in South America - selling `Extreme Farming` as an adrenaline sport/social project was our current push as we navigated very steep soil in barely accessible locations. The lake and valley continued the stunning views and we continued to Paro Paro, eating our last balls on the way. This large menhir jutted starkly from the grass with a stone-circle giving its respect. After navigating a creek crossing I began to feel a little woosy-drunk, although a big lack of sleep definitely contributed to that. Our long stroll via a few un/necessary short-cuts involved greeting the many local pedestrians and observing a large flock of Rainbow Lorikeet-like Loros screeching their way. We then arrived in Quello Quello, grabbed a share taxi and headed back to Brian and Sandra`s place, where I joined them for yummy chickpeas and rice. It had been a brilliant day, and by eating my balls we had been carried along a fantastic but smooth journey.

On Friday I went to the regional and highly subsidised health clinic in Qoya to visit a dentist for a check-up. She claimed I needed 7 fillings - I was a little shocked, but agreed to the two worse ones to be attended to. She firstly drilled without anaesthetic, causing pain and then after weirdly injecting the drug only waited half a minute before commencing drilling again! I stopped her painfully and hurriedly explained not enough time had passed for me to be affected yet - her workmate then said that yes, 15 minutes was appropriate. Professionalism not included. Then she drew blood inside my tooth and had to inject me again with fuzz. I was glad to get out alive, really, and even though the fillings were less than $15 each I believe the 5 other supposeds can wait...

On the Saturday I met with Amalaa in Pisac and her friend Susanna from Missouri and we just hung out in town, drinking coffee and carrot cake and hearing a myriad of wonderful anecdotes from Amalaa, generally involving lots of synchronicity and/or inexplicable and co-incidental events. That evening we retired to their hostel to cook an amazing roast chicken and vegetable meal in the black-out dark and sip Chilean red. And of course chocolate.

The following stats relate to my online Sound Cloud music where I have one of my DJ sets uploaded for listening and downloading.

http://soundcloud.com/the_mule/sets

Most popular in these countries:

• 44% Germany
• 16% Turkey
• 8% United Kingdom
• 8% United States
• 4% Australia

So if it was Germany Vs Australia it would per capita be a score of 11-1. Well, at least it`s not 4-0.

Pisac (Saqsaywaman-Tambomachay-Qenqo Ruins, Quello Quello, Kuyo Grande, Qoya): 4/07 - 10/07

On the Sunday I caught a bus towards Cusco and got off at the top of the ridge some 15km from town at the first of a series of six or so sets of ruins like Saqsaywaman (locally pronounced `SexyWoman`), Tambomachay and Qenqo. Some of them were free, most not, but having been driven past them so many times I felt the urge to explore as much as was possible.

The ruins were in traditional Incan style - building blocks and rock structures carved directly out of basalt. The Incans certainly had an intuition into organic architechture and symbolic shapes. The highlight was Saqsaywaman; viewed from afar - huge stone boulders compiled to create a kind of amphitheatre where the tradicional Inti Raymi celebrations were recently held for the Winter Solstice.

Later in the week I watched the Ultra-Extended Edition of ` What the %&/ Do We Know - Down The Rabbit Hole`. I`d seen the theatrical version previously but this 5 hr marathon provided far more in depth interviews, explanations of theories and experiments with physically measuring the effects of focussed consciousness (e.g. meditation). It was very inspirational - the main point I took out of it being that our thoughts and intencions are reality and definitively affect the `outside world` as we call everything that is not measurable and observable as being a `separate` entity to ourselves. Another point being that we dont actually understand the nature of our universe and to judge a certain worldview as being `right`or `wrong` is not entirely smart. Highly recommended - check it yo.

I had had a few ideas for what I had wanted to do this week. I had intended to visit the hot springs at Lares up the valley some 3 1/2 hrs, go to the qocha (or lake in Quechua) system at the back of Pisac and visit the ultra-cheap community dentist in local Qoya. But somehow none of it happened. I went to Qoya clinic but they had no electricity. I went up to the qocha area but got lost and had to return to Pisac. I decided to wait until Fiorela had returned from Lima to go to Lares. Thwartion.

I did however manage to secure more gas for our house. :) That only took 6hrs when it could`ve taken 1. Two times I was given the incorrect 25kg gas bottle for our cocina (stove). So it was three visits to Pisac and a whole day! Thank you universe for providing me with the opportunity to practice the daring extreme sport of Ultimate Patience.

Maggie, my flatmate, is a conessieur of fine cinema. We have had many in-depth and intensely intellectual art-projections/conversations regarding the works of various luminaries of quality film. But throughout our culturally-rich discussions she has repeatedly brought up one name... `Cyclops` (Dir. - Declan O`Brien, 2008). On this night I finally felt ready to experience its cruel beauty through a story of transcendent spirituality. Based on the true story of a misunderstood one-eyed monster from Ancient Roman times, this film-noir classic act/shone to me in a way no other movie has in the past. Don`t miss it. For me it was revelatory - I felt as happy as the hand-clapping guy above.

On the Friday night I went to my second Ayahuasca medicine ceremony with 20 or so other Peruvians, travellers and local-internationals. Although with the same group as last time, the ceremony was led by the work partner of the previous shaman or ayahuascero and as such took on a different feel. I think the medicine brew was a weaker one and I drank slightly less - I had a rewarding, beautiful and blissful experience but felt I didn`t spiritually travel as much nor was I as challenged to stay grounded in the same way as the first time. I `came down` after maybe 2hrs and spent the later hours of the ceremony feeling a little physically uncomfortable because of remaining in one sitting position.

The soundscapes were again a soothing mix of beautiful acoustic guitar, acapellas from not just the guides but participants also, spoken word, recorded music and icarros, ceremonial chants and percussionism from the jungle. Languages included English, Spanish, Quechua and Gaelic. I again found myself smiling all the way through my being which resulted in a supergrin being glued to my face during moments of beautiful singing and playing. I felt very strongly the paradoxical nature of our universe and came to the conclusion that from the moment we are born, most of us start to unlearn the effortless action of pure being - for me its not something we need to worry about or work at but rather a process of allowing energy to be within us.

There was far more `purging` than during my first ceremony - laughing, moaning, crying, but mainly vomitting. Some massive hurls genuinely scared me, exploding from the black silence like Cyclops from the woods. But as per usual all my comrades were well in the end - a great job by the organisers, helpers and participants - Thank you all, X!. We de-briefed, thanked, consoled and celebrated afterwards while eating fruit, then I headed home for the bliss of more lush music, food and a few trippy hours sleep.

The next day I hung out with Michael next door and friends visiting from Cusco (and ultimately the US), Lu Lue, Sarah, Denise and Caitlyn and I shared the love around our `Gringo Estate`, cooking banana crepes with chocolate and drinking quite a weight of coca-coffee. Michael outdid himself with a fine veggie omelette. Sunshine people!!

Pisac (Cusco, Huchuyqosqo Ruins, Urubamba, Maras, Moray Ruins): 27/06 - 03/07

Congratulations to my brother Ned, his new-born daughter Amelie and particularly his partner Heidi for her birth on July 2. Yay!!

It seemed that the local giardia population had finally worn me down - I had all the symptoms and my slow descent to sickness explained the previous week`s listlessness. After interlooking for natural solutions I came up with a strong bias towards golden seal, a super anti-everything from North America. Unfortunately I had recently used the last of my hard-won supplies from Oz and it was nowhere to be seen in Cusco. So to chopped raw garlic (pre-peeled ready to go $6Kg) by the several at a time. That and a huge pot of chilli, vege and chicken soup, my sole alimentation for two days. And much better thanks very much.

I had been not doing much for the past while - I decided to take a few day visits to ruins around the valley. First up Michel and I went to Lamay to ascend to the Huchuyqosqo ruins. The day had perfect weather - a mild breeze and shining winter sun made me so happy! The ascent went faster than we had been told on a wide & easy dust track. On the way we passed what seemed to be a swimming pool (top photo) built randomly into the desert hillside - it may also have been a drainage pond for something but what (in `couldn`t-give-a-shit-about-the-environment` Peru)¿ We struggled up the final steepness to find a little mud brick village next to Incan terraces, stone walls along an ancient trail and cool old ruins all with perefectly fitted stonework. Also present were the usual awesome views. Yaaawn, whatever. ;)

Michel and I needed to test ourselves a little more so headed for the highest point in the ruins we could see, and soon found ourselves bush-bashing up to an old house ruin shaded by a few gnarly quinua (not the grain) trees. We had lunch there and eventually wound our way back down to the ruins. When feeling energetic I prefer to jog/rock-hop mountainous descents - Michel joined me in this for quite a while on the slippery dust. We both had a few close calls but towards the bottom he went on his bottom... and hand. But mostly his knee, which took a serious gouge... kind of someone had taken a wood gouge to it. Cooool, bloooood. Missed-Photo-Opportunity (MPO) No. 1. He was OK to finish the walk and return home though had to see a doctor in Cusco later for it. While waiting for the bus back to Pisac we saw some concerned and highly responsible local citizens overseeing school children in their safe and comfortable seating in this taxi. The next morning I was I exactly the same spot for MPO No. 2.

Peru and South America in general has a high population of dogs. Apparently a lot of them have owners but they aren`t kept in the same way as in Australia. They are simply allowed to roam free and do as dogs will do - shitting where they want, $&%ing, harassing people for food, attacking and being agressive towards people and other animals, barking incessantly at night time and forming packs. I /&%&/ing hate them and their ugly faces. I put a jihad on them. I know its not their fault so I do direct the blame towards the locals. And if they think that its OK having to avoid dog shit every second step and being kept up all night... I put a jihad on them too.

Mind you considering the abovementioned attitude towards their own children it`s not surprising. As you may guess I have been feeling anew feelings of resentment towards local slack-jaws who laugh at me without initiating any conversation or respect and stare constantly, unable to believe my hair or exercise regime. A trip to Cusco for me will always mean constant vigilance against the `Gringo Price` - a special tax for tourists that generally occurs on anything where the price isn`t written down. Yes, this is different from the rest of South America, where it occasionally occurs but is nowhere near as common. CONSTANTLY being approached on the street in Cusco to buy massages or sunglasses or Made In China genuine local artefacts. And so many of them seem to be really jaded or bored. Again not ultimately their fault but it certainly gets my goatie`s grassy ground growing.

Anyway... happy days! It certainly was a happy day back for MPO No. 2 in Lamay on the Friday as I set out for Maras and the Moray ruins above Urubamba. Sometime overnight two dogs had been struck dead (presumably in the same traffic incident) and were being attended to by blood-thirsty flies right where Michel and I had waited the previous day. Suck my balls.

I arrived at Urubamba, transferred and headed up the hill to a wide brown plain with amazing views. While walking through there I was transported to Mexico. Although I`ve never been there, the dusty mud-brick town of Maras on its surreal mountain-bound plain seemed to fit the description. Cactuses, twisters (see photo below cactus close-up), tumbleweed cemetaries all added to the Mexican feel - even a local radio DJ had a Mexican accent! For sure...

I walked from Maras to the ruins, on the way straying a few kms off-track into farmland and gullies because I was feeling a little too calm and comfortable. Then as I approached Moray came MPO No. 3. A family of traditionally-dressed goat shepherds sat just off the path, tightly huddled against the wind eating their lunch. Behind them was the spectacular snow-capped range I had been enjoying so much. I generally don`t take photos of traditionally dressed people as I don`t like the zoo-like idea of singling people out because of their appearance (and they often ask for money - fair enough). But this was an amazing aesthetic contrast.

The ruins of Moray are principally four sets of concentric circular stone walls carved deep into the mountainside to astonishing effect - the deepest and largest circles are in the womanly shape of a gourd. I explored the large open spaces, stepping up and down stone steps protruding directly out from the walls. Fantastic ruins, very scenic and evocative.

The way back provided MPO No. 4. A generic Che-form (the classic Che Guevara image) was painted on the wall of a house situated just above Urubamba. This in itself is fairly rare for country Peru, but nothing extraordinary. What made this one extraordinary was the Nike symbol right where his third eye would be. This circumstances made it obvious that it wasn`t ironic.

On the Saturday I went to the Cusco 2nd-hand/everything market and in my haste paid too much for a backpack which is probably a fake. But it does seem a well-made fake if so. Before that I`d had Jack`s-fast with Amalaa from Byron Bay (whom I`d re-met after being at the same hostel in Vilcabamba, Ecuador) and her friend Senia from Holland.